Minister for Communication, Technology and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, has dismissed public concerns over the circulating National Information Technology Authority (NITA) Bill, stating that the document is only a preliminary draft with no legal force.

Speaking at a stakeholder engagement in Accra on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, the minister said claims surrounding the document were inaccurate.

“That is so far away from the fact and the truth,” he said, explaining that the document is a “zero draft,” meaning it is at the earliest stage of the legislative process.

According to him, the bill has gone through several revisions with legal teams but is yet to receive final approval from the ministry.

“The fifth iteration has still not even been approved by the ministry,” he said.

Mr George added that the proposed legislation is not part of the 10 Cabinet memoranda currently under consideration by his ministry and has not been submitted to Cabinet.

He outlined the process required for a bill to become law, noting that it must go through the Ministry, Cabinet, the Attorney-General’s Department and Parliament before passage.

On Ghana’s current ICT legal framework, the minister referenced Acts 771 and 772, which were passed in 2008 to regulate the sector.

He described the laws as progressive at the time but said developments in technology over the past 18 years have rendered parts of them outdated or insufficiently implemented.

Mr George explained that the proposed NITA Bill seeks to convert the National Information Technology Agency into a full regulatory authority.

Under the proposed law, the authority would have powers to license ICT companies, certify professionals, set digital standards and regulate government technology procurement.

The bill also proposes the establishment of an ICT tribunal to handle disputes, alongside penalties for fraud, unlicensed operations and data breaches.